A Single Girl Shopping List To Distract Myself While I Wait For Fall
September is a useless month. Apologies to all my Virgos, but honestly it’s just one more month in between me and fall weather and it must be stopped. September has always been little more than a layover on the way to October in my opinion, so it’s not shocking that I’ve needed to resort to methods of distraction. Namely, shopping for things that FEEL like fall. Also just things that I need, want, or use to lift my spirits. Thus I give you a shopping list for singles who find themselves impatiently waiting for colorful leaves and warm ciders and absolutely no need to turn on the A/C whatsoever. Soon, my beauties, soon.
Affordable Nightgown: What was that? You’re looking for affordable, cute things to wear at night while you Netflix? Ask and ye shall long sleeve. This is the Cozy Thermal-Knit Henley Nightgown from Old Navy, and I give it to you because I love this audience. We place great importance upon affordable sleepwear (or house-wear), and when I saw this beauty I knew it had to be yours. It’s less than $35 and you can also take 20% off that price right now with code SWEET. Pro tip: Make sure that you’re signed up for Rakuten, which is literally free money back for going shopping. I’ve been using Rakuten for four years and I get about $200 back each year on stuff I’d buy anyway. It’s nothing more than a button you (easily) add to your browser that reminds you to get cash back on everything you buy. Can’t recommend enough. Right now the cash back percentage on Old Navy is 6%!
Cutest Snail Mail: It’s been a really distant year you guys. Send more snail mail. You’ve seen CardCraft creations on the site before and you’ll continue to see many, many more of the Etsy store’s charming designs in future lists. I have ALWAYS been a proponent of snail mail and you can ask multiple friends of mine for confirmation on this. One of the ways I find it easiest to keep up on my snail mail is by collecting cards and stationery I like whenever I spot them, even if I don’t have a recipient in mind at that moment. That way, whenever the snail mail mood strikes, I’m ready. (Keep stamps around too, we stan the Postal Service around here.) ;)
Z Supply Waffle Joggers: Listen to me when I say that my wardrobe is half Z Supply right now. You may have noticed that the Old Navy nightgown above is thermal, or “waffle” knit. So is everything I own from Z Supply, starting with these pants. I bought these pants because I was tired of not owning these pants. Since their arrival, I want to wear little else. Z Supply is a purveyor of comfortable clothing that is also somehow stylish AND affordable. They’re the reason I even HAVE a pandemic wardrobe, mkay? If you enjoy a comfy fit I’d size up in these. For example I wear an Old Navy Medium in pants, but I bought a Large from these guys.
Zipuller! Look, I’m not above a novelty product, especially not one that’s so CLEARLY perfect for single people who wear dresses! If you’re tired of playing a terrible game of Twister with your own body every time you need to get in or out of a dress (we don’t BEND THAT WAY, OKAY?) grab this little guy and make easy work of ingressing and egressing your own clothes.
Cute Kettle: Fall and winter are seasons for hot beverages, and you my darlings are too cute to microwave water. My electric kettle is my favorite and most frequently used kitchen appliance and I DO own a Kitchenaid Mixer, just sayin. This one is extremely cute and affordable, and any time an appliance that you have to leave out on the counter isn’t a total eyesore, I’m happy.
Bigelow Vanilla Chai: This is the best tea in the world. This is not the first time I’ve mentioned this tea, it is not the last time i will mention this tea. This is book-reading tea. This is morning sunrise watching tea. This is Netflixing tea. There is nothing you can’t do while you’re enjoying this tea. (Except maybe get ready for bed, there’s caffeine in it.) I impulse buy boxes of this every time I happen to see it in a store which is not often. It’s my favorite panic-buy item from quarantine. (The other one is tomato paste I have so much of it dear god.)
Denim Dress: Remember sleeves? I do. I miss them. I look forward to being swaddled in their embrace soon. I’m obsessed with this dress. It is vintage, I list it here to inform you of one of the most useful vintage stores I’ve ever found online. It’s full of incredibly wearable pieces that won’t make you wonder when in the world you’ll ever get use out of them. I also love a dress that buttons completely down the front, because that adds so much versatility and your cost-per-wear drops way down. This entire store is PACKED with amazing vintage finds, and as they’re vintage, they’re one of a kind, so hesitation is not advised.
Genius Mirror Cabinet: If you ask me, we’ve needed to take the medicine cabinet idea further for a long time. Personally, this smart, space-saving piece of combination furniture solves two problems I’ve had for a LONG time now. I have no full length mirror in my home, and also nowhere to store my accessories. Literally they’re in bags and shoeboxes hidden all over my home so that I have no idea what I actually own. Two problems, one piece. Genius.
Tights Season: In addition to being almost sleeves season, it is also almost tights season. If you are a tights person, you need to know about Nude Barre, the site with the most stunning range of skin-toned tights I’ve ever seen. Fishnets, opaques, convertible tights that can be footless if you like—they’ve got everything, in every shade. We should all be a lot more excited on behalf of our legs this fall.
Cutest Pajama Set: If you’re more of a matching set person when it comes to pajamas, here’s a super cute and affordable option. I am of this ilk, because I like pajamas that can double as real clothes on days when I see no need to leave the house. My pajama purchasing only gets more intense as temperatures drop, so I look forward to working my way much further down this particular rabbit hole soon.
The Sober Lush: This book is for everyone, sober, sober curious, not either of those things, all of us! It’s a book that reminded me how many DIFFERENT things there are in life that pertain to enjoyment and pleasure, but are often masked in adulthood because our go-to is alcohol. More of my thoughts are here, if you’d care to read about them.
Minty Lip Balm: Look, if I have to choose between sunburns and chapped lips, I know which ailment I’d rather deal with. As we enter chapstick season, opt for a minty balm that looks gently gloss-like at the same time. Avoid any chapped-ness that might arise by keeping this super cute balm in your bag, next to your spare masks and wipes, at all times. Pssst! It is also vegan, cruelty free, paraben free, D-5 free, and petroleum free.
Comfy Cotton Leggings: There’s been discussion in the ol’ Facebook group recently about comfortable, breathable cotton leggings. We don’t always need “compression” is what we’re saying. It helps when they’re affordable too, and thus these Old Navy leggings fit our requirements quite nicely. I have a pair in the mail to me as we speak. Also make sure that you’re signed up for Rakuten, which is literally free money back for going shopping. I’ve been using Rakuten for four years and I get about $200 back each year on stuff I’d buy anyway. Can’t recommend enough. Right now the cash back percentage on Old Navy is 6%!
P.F. Candle Co Incense: When I tell you this incense is life changing…. I have been very, very into home scents lately. It’s kind of like the difference between a house with music on and a house without music on. Same concept, just for your sense of smell. I am IN LOVE with P.F. Candle Co’s incense. My order arrived last night and I’ve already burned four sticks. (And they’re really slow burning, too.) I basically no longer exist without some of this stuff swirling away on a table. I’d start with this scent, Amber & Moss. It’s such sultry, feminine scent without being sweet. It’s hard to describe but really easy to get obsessed with. If you don’t have an incense burner, try sticking these into the wax of a candle that’s in a glass jar, preferably one that’s been burned way down.
Misty Fan Umbrella: While I realize this information would have been most useful to us during HELLSEASON SUMMER, I still need you to know that a misting umbrella with fan exists, and it can help shield you from the sun and cool you down at the same time. It is also a regular umbrella in normal months, and the battery that operates the fan can be used to charge your phone. LOVE a multiasking product.
Really, Really Good Conditioner: I alternate between two conditioners, and this is one of them. When its sample size came in my Birchbox, I squeezed the very life out of that tiny tube to get every morsel of this wonderful product out of there. I don’t find too many super-hydrating conditioners that won’t also make my hair greasy, but this one manages the impossible. It also smells AMAZING which let’s face it is half the reason we ever use anything.
Affordable Pillow Inserts: You know how when you see cute pillows for sale online what you’re ACTUALLY looking at is just a cover? Ever wonder what the hell you’re supposed to have on hand to stuff INSIDE those covers? THESE GUYS. This is a set of affordable pillow inserts to stuff inside all those covers you see and fall in love with. This setup also makes washing those covers or changing them out seasonally SUPER easy.
Cute Pillow Covers: And here are a few aforementioned pillow covers! Honestly half the time I can’t tell if I need a whole new couch or just a set of these. Feel free to wander down a pillow cover rabbit hole, heaven knows I did.
Classic, Affordable Pajamas: And again, one more on the affordable pajama front, this time in the most classic format I could find. It’s going to be a VERY comfy fall, do you hear me??
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